Season 1 - 8 x 60 minutes | World Premiere at CANNESERIES Season 7
In English, French, subtitled in English and French
Episode 1
In presence of director Tim Van Patten and actors Michael Douglas, Noah Jupe, Ludivine Sagnier, Thibault de Montalembert, Daniel Mays and Assaad Bouab.
Synopsis
Based on Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff’s book, “A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America,”. Franklin explores the thrilling story of the greatest gamble of Benjamin Franklin’s career. In December 1776, Franklin is world famous for his electrical experiments, but his passion and power are put to the test when — as the fate of American independence hangs in the balance — he embarks on a secret mission to France.
At age 70, without any diplomatic training, Franklin convinced an absolute monarchy to underwrite America’s experiment in democracy. By virtue of his fame, charisma and ingenuity, Franklin outmaneuvered British spies, French informers and hostile colleagues to engineer the Franco-American alliance of 1778 and the peace treaty with England in 1783.
The eight-year French mission stands as Franklin’s most vital service to his country, without which America could not have won the Revolution. Diplomats and historians still regard it as the greatest single tour of duty by an ambassador in our nation’s history.
Note from the artistic direction
After Silo, which premiered worldwide at CANNESERIES last year, here is the last of the original and prestigious series: Franklin. Played by Michael Douglas, the series follows Benjamin Franklin’s journey to France in the middle of the American Revolutionary war in order to gain support against the British Empire. Directed by a television series veteran, Tim Van Patten, the series gathers the crème de la crème of French actors: Thibault de Montalembert, Ludivine Sagnier, Assaad Bouab or even Jeanne Balibar. Classy!